Pope alters church’s position on death penalty

News / World by Press Association 02/08/2018, 11:49 am Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Email Send us a story Sign up to our Daily newsletter Pope Francis has changed church teaching on the death penalty by saying it can never be approved because it attacks the inherent dignity of all people. The Vatican said that Francis has changed the catechism of the Catholic Church — the compilation of official Catholic teaching. Previously, the catechism said the church did not exclude recourse to capital punishment “if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor”. The new teaching says the previous policy is outdated and that there are other ways to protect society. It adds: “Consequently the church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person, and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide.” Sign up to our Daily newsletter More from the Evening Express Pope accepts resignation of Australian bishop convicted of sex abuse cover-up Abortion is the ‘white glove’ equivalent of Nazi-era eugenics, says Pope Pope Francis praised for telling gay man ‘God made you like this’ Death penalty report reveals which country is the ‘world’s top executioner’